


Moms and Spouses

by SpyBabies



Category: Dancing with the Stars (US) RPF, Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-03-14 22:52:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3428504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpyBabies/pseuds/SpyBabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adding members of the cheering section changes the dynamics when Meryl and Charlie compete in the 2018 Olympics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moms and Spouses

**Author's Note:**

> I fully believe that Meryl and Charlie are finished competing. However, in my mind, this is how I see the next Olympics going if they do remain competitive! 
> 
> Thanks for your comments and kudos!

Meryl and Charlie had the most famous cheering section in all of figure skating. “The Mom’s,” as they were affectionately known, had traveled all over the world with the pair for the last twenty years of their children’s skating partnership. From novice competitions to the world’s greatest stage – twice, scratch that, three times – they were well-seasoned, well-traveled, and well-recognized. But in the last few years, the dynamic had changed. In April of 2015, Charlie had married Tanith, after what seemed to be the world’s longest courtship. And in 2017, Meryl had married Maks. 

And while the mom’s believed that more love brought more happiness and more fun, it was definitely an adjustment to have a new arrangement. After Charlie’s marriage, the Mom’s continued to travel so that Meryl would have a support system and Tanith was often busy with her broadcasting career at the events. But after Meryl married and it was determined that Maks would also travel with the group, it really came down to the fact that they wanted to be with and supportive of their children. It was hard to imagine what life would be like without the constant traveling on the competitive figure skating circuit. And after doing it for twenty years, it was kind of a habit. Cheryl and Jacqui often joked that when their children retired, they would adopt another pair of ice dancers and continue to travel the world as their surrogate moms. 

The daily travel routines had both changed and stayed the same. They sat in the same spots in the arena, Cheryl on the right, Jacqui on the left, with a program and a notebook to keep track of the scores. Maks always had a seat with them, but never watched his wife skate while he stood next to her mother. Maks was nervous, to say the least, and his jittery, slightly frantic energy did not pair well with the zen-like calmness that radiated off the experienced observers. After the first skate at the first Grand Prix event of the year, it was apparent the arrangement was not a good fit. Instead, Maks now took off at the beginning of Meryl and Charlie’s group and headed for the broadcast booth, permission courtesy of Tanith. Because she did not do color commentary, she was always free to watch the pair skate without professional obligation. For her, this was the preferable arrangement; commentating on her husband and his partner was too nerve-wracking. But for this skate, their final free dance of the Olympics, the nerves were incredibly strained, regardless of her professional responsibilities. 

\---

Just after celebrating their marriage, Maks had moved to Detroit to be the house husband and home-based training mate Meryl needed. He balanced her schedule, shopped for groceries, packed her lunches, hand washed her workout gear, and walked the new puppy. He was the constant in her life that she had needed and a role formerly fulfilled by her parents. Every morning, he rose with her at 4:30 to do yoga, rub out sore muscles, and eat breakfast quietly. He kissed her three times, one long and two short kisses, and held her in an embrace for exactly eleven seconds (Maks counted) before shushing her out the door with lunch bag in hand, complete with a love note stuck to her strawberry NutriGrain bar (two per day – Maks was counting). And while Meryl insisted these routines were unnecessary, stating repetitively “Maks, trust my training. I do,” Maks couldn't help but feel this was his only control and contribution towards her success. Besides, six months and four days ago (Maks was counting), he had given her two kisses, one short and one long, and only one NutriGrain bar, for a Tuesday practice and she came home with a black eye from a lift gone wrong while choreographing for their new program. It was at that moment, as her bruised face entered the kitchen that Maks swore to never deviate from his routines. Superstitions and routines were what he could control. 

\---

Tanith was a different kind of comforter. Perhaps it came from being familiar with the pressures of skating. She was a quiet strength, always listening and observing, only intruding when asked. She, too, ran the domestic affairs of the house – packing Charlie’s lunch daily and always including a joke from her dollar store kids joke book purchase. They move in a steady synchronicity – eating breakfast together each morning, walking the dogs, and kissing goodbye each morning in the kitchen. One kiss for Tanith, one for the baby residing within her womb, and one more for Tanith. 

Each night they performed Charlie’s routines together – skating with their fingers across the sheets between them in bed. They finger skated whatever the training focus had been – Tanith humming the music and doing Meryl’s part, Charlie talking through the program elements. One night, a few weeks before the Olympics, Tanith had fallen asleep propped up, waiting for Charlie to finish brushing his teeth. He gently laid her back in bed and skated the whole routine on her belly, walking the unborn baby though the program. Tanith smiled as he finished and squeezed Charlie’s hand. 

“I like this new tradition,” she said. And so it was, nightly baby belly skating.

\---

In so many ways similar to the moms, Tanith and Maks took their places on the stools overlooking the rink. Maks perched on the left and Tanith sat on the right. Maks placed an arm around Tanith and they both closed their eyes and took a deep breath as Meryl and Charlie slid onto the rink. As they sat together in the press box, Maks thought about NutriGrain bars and kisses as he silently repeated two mantras in his head. “Trust the training” and then his own chant for the evil eye, while Tanith silently said a few quick prayers. Maks fervently rubbed an evil eye in his pocket, while Tanith skated their program against her slightly swollen belly. Their eyes remained closed until the first beat of the music and their partners sprang to life. With slow breaths, the spouses watched the performance unfold into a seamless free dance. Four minutes melted into both a single breath and an eternity. Today, however was different. Maks held his pregnant breath longer than usual and Tanith clutched her unborn baby residing in her belly a bit tighter. Both knew this would be the last competitive skate of their spouses, although no official announcement would be made for months.

As the final pose was struck and the last note rang across the arena, joy flashed across the face of all the pairs – Meryl and Charlie, Jacqui and Cheryl, Tanith and Maks – while each was tinged with a slightly different version of joy. Joy and exhaustion for the performers. Joy and passion for their spouses. Joy and sadness for Jacqui and Cheryl. 

\---

Jacqui and Cheryl never talked about the joy and sadness, but they knew it was both true. And while they knew their children were not children anymore, events like these served as a reminder that they truly were grown-ups, not the tiny children preserved in their mother’s eyes. It was a strange and complicated feeling – both wanting your child to grow up and find love and simultaneously wanting it to never happen. Shared love was one of the greatest gifts and in it, the Mom’s saw their love for their children reflected onto others. But it also meant taking a backseat. They were no longer the first ones Meryl and Charlie's eyes search for in the stands, the first hug after a win, the first phone call after landing safely, first opinion asked about costumes, or first reassurance sought after a rough day of training. It was an odd transition and it was felt more deeply than ever at this moment. 

\---

It was a long hour and nineteen minute wait (Maks was counting) from the end of their skate to the beginning of their reunion. Tanith had been able to use her press credentials to badge the four of them down to the backstage warm up area. It would be at least another two hours before Meryl and Charlie would finish their initial press obligations, but there were five minutes available before they were taken to the broadcasting center. The four waited quietly together. Nothing else could be said that hadn't been previously. Maks wiggled around in his spot, bouncing on his toes and rocking back to his heels; Tanith rubbed her belly. Jacqui picked at a nail and Cheryl wrung her hands around a program, but they all waited. 

And then, they appeared: Meryl in her Team USA jacket and leggings and Charlie in his Team USA warm up suit. Meryl had taken down her hair and it flounced behind her as she sprinted down the hallway in her tennis shoes, passing Charlie. She launched herself into Maks’ awaiting arms – pressing their foreheads together. Tears emerged in both of their eyes as they whispered quietly to each other. 

“I trusted your training… and you too,” Maks began.  
“I love you,” Meryl continued. “Thank you for making this possible.”  
“This wasn’t me, this was you babe. And I love you. And I am so proud of you.”  
They wiped each other’s tears and kissed, as Meryl continued to cling to his torso.

Charlie trotted to Tanith and enveloped her closely – feeling her bump press against his stomach. He smiled more than he ever had before, not sure if it was from the sensation of their child, the emotion of the moment, or the love of the woman that was causing the deepest joy he had ever felt. In his ear, Tanith breathed, “We are so proud of you.” In return, he whispered, “And I am so in love with both of you.” Charlie dropped to his knees in front of his wife. Resting his face on her belly, he said directly into her abdomen, “This was all for you.”

Observing this movie-like scene brought tears to the eyes of the Moms. They felt pride for raising children of such compassion and love. When it was their turn to hold and celebrate their children, they squeezed them tight. Tears erupting from their eyes, but no one was there to wipe them. They imagined hugging their eight year olds, at the same time as their thirty-one year olds. The past became the present and their twenty-some-odd year journey seemed to conclude. It was the most beautiful moment of completion either had felt. And like all moments, this one too ended. 

Maks was reaching hungrily again for Meryl, calmed by her touch. Charlie extended his arms again towards his family housed in Tanith. Not much was said between the six. Nothing could be said that wasn't before – I love you’s and I am proud of you’s didn't seem sufficient or special enough. They didn't represent the spectrum of emotion hanging in the air. It was more than pride or love or confidence, it was what it was – an indescribable emotion. 

As the groups begrudgingly parted ways again, making plans to meet up after all the commitments – a peace settled over the Moms and the Spouses. Sort of an official changing of the guard. The two couples walked towards the main stadium corridor in a quiet bliss, knowing neither pair could exist without the other. As Jacqui and Cheryl resigned to their new normal, their phones vibrated in their hands. The message was short, simple, and just for them.  
“None of this would have happened without you. Love you Mom.”


End file.
